


a requiem for my love

by blushingprince



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Angst with a Happy Ending, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27255616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushingprince/pseuds/blushingprince
Summary: Lyon thinks that Ephraim could never feel the same way
Relationships: Ephraim/Lyon (Fire Emblem)
Kudos: 25





	a requiem for my love

  
  


At first, it was nothing. It was absolutely nothing. The Renais twins were his guests and he was obliged to make them feel welcome. Maybe they came off as endearing and were overeager to become his friends, and for sure, Lyon had never had  _ friends,  _ so he was not entirely sure what that entailed, but it was nothing. They were his guests, and he was the prince, and it was nothing else. He showed them around the Grado castle and tried to entertain them, trying to plaster on a smile that might make him seem more personable. It was nothing.

Sure, Ephraim was handsome, and Eirika was courteous and polite. But Lyon resisted the urge to become attached in those first few preliminary days. While some inner part of him screamed out, hungered, thirsted for their friendship, he shut it down. He didn’t need to become attached to people that would forget him within a few summers. The winters of Grado were often intolerable and he knew that even if they became companions they would likely not venture out in the cold for him. Was he worth it?  _ No.  _ Loneliness was a robe he wore well. Nobody would go the extra mile for him. 

Still, the twins persisted and their stay was elongated. Lyon spotted Ephraim in the gardens one day taking a stroll. The gardens were a special place to him; he tended to them as if they were his own kind. They were a special recluse that he could escape to and wander about when the stresses of life boiled over and simmered in his head. But here was Ephraim admiring the greenery with a gentle enthusiasm that he knew was reserved for the more sensitive kind. Lyon had assumed he was a simpleminded jock, though kind in his efforts. He paused a few feet from Ephraim and watched his eyes crinkle in admiration of the flowers. Ephraim’s head twitched and he seemed to notice Lyon’s presence. 

“They’re lovely, aren’t they?” he said.

“I never tire of them,” Lyon answered.

They shared a glance of something,  _ something,  _ some sort of understanding. It seemed Lyon had the wrong idea about Ephraim. “You should really see the lily pads,” Lyon started.

Ephraim smiled, seemingly taken by the idea, and Lyon couldn’t help but notice how nice he looked. It was probably nothing. 

_______________

  
  


A couple of weeks had passed and Ephraim and Eirika’s stay had been extended. Their relationship with Lyon had changed drastically. They sat in the study, a large wooden room lined with bookshelves and plush seating. Lyon was attempting to teach them magic. Eirika caught on well and Lyon couldn’t help notice that she had a natural aptitude for it. He wanted to compliment her but realized Ephraim not paying attention at all.

“Ephraim,” Lyon chastised.

“C’mon Eph, Lyon’s a really good teacher,” Eirika said.

Lyon turned light pink at the compliment. But the person whose attention he wanted wasn’t Eirika. The prince at the table was starting to affect him in  _ ways,  _ though he didn’t want to admit. It wouldn’t hurt to get his attention. 

Ephraim waved the two of them off. He stood up to leave, grabbing his lance. “I’m going to go practice some  _ real  _ combat skills.”

Lyon sighed as he left.  _ Please notice me, just a little bit.  _

______________________

Ephraim invited him out to the lily ponds again. How could he say no? It was one of his favorite spots and Ephraim was one of his growing favorites. It was a brisk morning when he arrived, Ephraim already there, and he sat down beside him on the bench. Lyon felt as if he was buzzing simply being there and near the other man. 

Ephraim took out a book he had borrowed from Lyon and set it down. It wasn’t a tome - Ephraim was totally useless there, but rather a history volume. Lyon had no idea that Ephraim enjoyed those types of things but gladly lent it. 

Ephraim smiled. “It was great. I could barely put it down.”

_ Oh. Why is he so pretty?  _

Lyon remembered to breathe. “I’m glad you liked it. It’s good to know you can enjoy an honest book.”

Ephraim smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you think all I know is how to fight?”

A shade of rose dotted Lyon’s cheeks. “N-no!”

The line on Ephraim’s mouth flattened and he looked more serious. “I hope you don’t think that way of me.”

  
  


_________________

  
  


The twins had stayed for a large chunk of summer but then they left. When the cold set in Grado it was unbearable.  _ But what am I supposed to do now?  _ Lyon felt lonelier than ever, even though he was just going back to normal. It seemed like the shadow of Ephraim and Eirika followed him everywhere. With everything he did he wondered,  _ would I do this with them?  _ If he was alone before, he was desolate now that he tasted friendship. They had promised to come back but that seemed so long from now.

And then sometimes, in the recesses of his mind, Lyon thought just about Ephraim. His rough voice, his muscular body, tough exterior yet sensitive side. His lips, his eyes, his hands - so strong from all that lance practice. All along with the winter, Lyon filled his mind with thoughts of the other boy and that Ephraim definitely didn’t feel the other way. There was no way he did. He was just a passing thought to Ephraim, he had to be. There was no way someone as strong and wonderful and warm as Ephraim could even notice him. He was just a speck of dust to him. Lyon felt bad for simply thinking about Ephraim in that way. He was disgusting. 

Winter continued very much in that way, with Lyon wishing for their presence and dreaming about Ephraim but hoping Ephraim would not see him. Because if Ephraim saw him he would definitely be able to tell, right? Lyon’s yearning stretched all the cold months into spring and beyond. He began to write his thoughts down with no idea of how else to express his bottled up emotions. Stacks of papers piled up of Lyon scribbling his feelings in a mad frenzy and then burning them with magic. No one could see them. Ever. 

Spring crept into the calendar and Lyon received a letter from Ephraim. He read it over and over again, the inscription known in his eyes forever, mad on infatuation. 

__________________

When Eirika and Ephraim arrived that summer, Ephraim swooped Lyon up in a big hug. Lyon counted it as one of the most wonderful yet embarrassing moments ever as Ephraim held him for an extended amount of time and he was unsure how to react. It was nice to be held though and he had no idea how starved for touch he was. Lyon sat back as they set their things in the same rooms they used last summer. Would everything be ok? Would he be able to hide his affection for Ephraim? He felt it was nearly overflowing out of him by now. He liked Ephraim so much but there was no way someone so bright and wonderful could feel the same way. He had to hide it - that was the only clear solution for everything to go smoothly this summer.   
  


_________________

He found Ephraim in the gardens the next day. It was the only season where they bloomed beautifully. Of course, he was there. 

“I knew I’d find you here,” Ephraim told him.

“Find me?”

“Yea. You just seem kind of off. Like at dinner last night... Did I do something to upset you?”

_ Oh God, he knows. _

“N-no.”

Ephraim moved closer. “You’re important to me, Lyon. I don’t want to upset you.”

Up close, he see so much more of Ephraim so much more clearly. How badly he just wanted to reach out and hold him. He heard Ephraim speak but the words didn’t quite register. He always saw himself as not deserving of Ephraim. 

“You’re f-fine,” Lyon muttered.”

He didn’t want Ephraim to see.  _ Please don’t see it. Please don’t see how disgusting I am. Let me stay just a little longer.  _

Ephraim paused, looking like he didn’t quite believe Lyon. “You never told me about your winter.”

Lyon thought about winter. Cold. Lonely. Lonely. Thinking about Ephraim all the time.  _ What should I say? _

“It was okay. I studied some new magic.” Lyon tried to make his face as believable as possible.

_________________________________

Lyon may have tried to avoid Ephraim a little, but at the same time find him at every opportunity. He wanted to be around him but he didn’t want Ephraim to know. He just loved him so much, admired him to the high heavens, and couldn’t stand a second without him. He loved his tenacity and grit as well as his sensitivity and compassion. Lyon just wanted to watch him forever, or kiss him, he wasn’t sure which. Ephraim was just so handsome. His eyes were a pure, clear cut cerulean, his jaw edged, his eyelashes long, his hair soft and draping over his eyes delicately. His features were sharp and his gaze was startling. It made Lyon’s knees wobble to think about. When Ephraim looked him directly in the eye, he lost the ability for clear reasoning. And Ephraim made direct eye contact quite often. 

__________________

  
  


It was one of those nights that Lyon couldn’t sleep and gave up on trying. He lit a candle and took out one of the many books from his stacks. There was an enormous library throughout the Castle Grado but Lyon kept his finest picks in large bookcases in his room. Lyon kept a large candle by his bed for nights like this when sleep evaded him and lay there unable to find recluse. His room was fairly comfortable so it was hard to complain. It was just….lonely.

A quiet knock resounded on his door. So quiet, perhaps it was Lyon’s imagination. He took to ignoring it and the knock came back. Was it a robber? Were robbers that stupid? Lyon rose to his door with a tome in hand. Carefully cracking the door open an inch, the only person that stood in front of it was Ephraim. 

“Ephraim?” Lyon asked, flabbergasted.

“Were you just about to burn me?” Ephraim asked, half excited. “Sorry, I’m here so late.”

“Oh, right,” Lyon said, closing his tome. “Why are you here?”

Ephraim motioned to talk, but nothing came out of his mouth. He kicked his foot around for a second awkwardly. “I just…..I dunno. I couldn't sleep. I know you said you can’t sleep sometimes so I was wondering if you were up.”

Various thoughts were running through Lyon’s head. Ephraim thought of him? Of him? And why does he seem he’s being awkward? Everything was so confusing. 

“Um….well...I’m just reading,” Lyon said shyly.

Ephraim looked out, looked unsure of himself. “I can read, too.”

_ Oh.  _ Lyon opened his door a bit more and motioned inside, praying he wasn’t taking the wrong cues at this strange hour when everything was a bit hazy and Ephraim was being very open. For some reason, Ephraim followed him inside and Lyon closed the door shut. 

_ Oh, God. _

“I have some good books here,” Lyon motioned.

Ephraim casually sat down on Lyon’s bed. “We can just...talk…” The darkness hid his blush.

_ Oh. My. God.  _

Lyon set down the books he was prepared to give Ephraim. Ok. He sat down on his bed as well, only a faint flicker of light illuminating the room. Should he lay back? Was that okay? Was anything okay?

“Isn’t it crazy that we’re supposed to inherit the throne someday?” Ephraim started out.

Oh good. Lyon hated this topic the most, but it was the easiest to talk about. He knew this one the best, like the back of his hand and the inside of his eyelids. Lyon swallowed. It was a little hard to believe that even people like Ephraim were afraid of the throne. 

“You’re so strong, though. Surely, you will be ready in time?” Lyon asked.

Ephraim groaned, throwing his back against the mattress. “People always tell me that I’m strong, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be a good leader. And becoming king means the death of my father and bypassing my sister.”

So there was more to the picture. That’s part of what Lyon liked about Ephraim. He laid down on his side, assuming it was okay.

“Who even knows what makes a good leader. And no one wants their father to die.”

Ephraim glanced at Lyon. “You’d be a better leader than me. You’re intelligent and composed.”

Lyon gasped loudly and Ephraim chuckled. “Even so, you’re way stronger than me, Ephraim. I’d lose right away.”

Ephraim waved him off. “Strength isn’t everything.”

Lyon smiled and the distance between them seemed to shrink. 

“We can rule together,” Lyon said finally. “We’ll have no holes in our strategy.”

Ephraim smiled. “I like that.” His hand brushed against Lyon’s. Lyon was immediately filled up with warmth and an intense sense of longing for him. 

_ I can’t. _

_________________________

Ephraim invited Lyon to the lily ponds again. But unlike one of their first encounters, it was late afternoon with the sunset being painted across the sky. Things might’ve changed a little bit since that one night of talking in his room. Lyon certainly felt closer to Ephraim and had a new sense of gained trust. There may have been a few passing glances and touches. But Lyon also didn’t know if he was imagining that things were being reciprocated. It was hard to tell, especially since nothing was making him feel grounded right now. He decided that he wasn’t going to act on anything, too afraid of being rejected by his closest friend.

At the lily ponds, Ephraim seemed sort of tense, which was unusual for him. He was pacing around one of the ponds instead of calmly seated on the bench. Lyon approached and sat down. What could have been bothering Ephraim? 

“Lyon, my good friend,” Ephraim started out.

“Do you hate me?” he asked plainly.

Lyon sputtered. “W-w-what?”

“When I first arrived here I realized you’ve been avoiding me. Even though I try to spend time with you, you disappear.”

“Ephraim, I  _ promise -” _

“Even when I thought we’ve grown closer you evade me.”

Lyon stood up. “It’s not that! It’s just…..It’s hard to be next to you right now!”

Ephraim looked like he just watched his father die. “What do you  _ mean _ ? Is this because of my battle skills that you keep talking about?”

“No!” Lyon shrieked, bursting into tears, grabbing his own chest, tension boiling over. “It’s because…...It’s because…... I  _ love you.  _ I’ve loved you ever since I met you, and I know there’s no way you can love me.”

Ephraim very nearly grabbed him, finding Lyon’s lips with his own. It was a messy embrace of tears and emotion but quickly heated up as Ephraim’s lips hungrily moved across Lyon’s mouth. It was the only thing he wanted to breathe, to touch. Lyon responded greedily, all his pent up emotions from the past year unfurling in a messy grab and his need to be touched by Ephraim. It was all tongue and lips and no time to breathe until Ephraim pulled away and rested his head on Lyon’s.

“I’ve been in love with you too right here all along. I love you, Lyon. I’ll always love you.”

Lyon’s eyes were wrecked with tears. “Really?”

“Yes. You don’t have to doubt anymore, Lyon….I’m here for you. There’s no reason I  _ wouldn’t  _ love you.” 

Lyon let out a sort of happy shudder. “Are you sure I’m not dreaming?”

Ephraim wound his arms around Lyon. “Absolutely. Honestly, I wish you told me sooner, Lyon.” He placed kisses on the top of Lyon’s head. 

Lyon relaxed into Ephraim’s hold. “Can you just hold me?”

“I can definitely do that.” 

**Author's Note:**

> idc if this is ooc or not canon compliant this is MY BIG JUICY SELF INDULGENT MESS 
> 
> for ephlyon week 
> 
> my twitter @blushingprince


End file.
